Preview: UFC Fight Night 230 Prelims

Women’s Strawweights

Emily Ducote (12-8, 1-2 UFC) vs. Ashley Yoder (8-8, 3-7 UFC)

ODDS: Ducote (-340), Yoder (+270)

Yoder makes her return after over two years on the shelf, and it will be interesting to see if she has made any strides during her time off. Yoder has done just enough to stay on the UFC roster for nearly seven years, showing enough flashes to overcome losing her first three fights in the promotion and having enough well-timed wins to avoid a particularly long string of defeats. Yoder is a much better fighter than she was upon her UFC debut, rounding out some solid grappling with some decent striking, but her fights still often feel fairly aimless. She is a large strawweight with enough skill and athleticism to neutralize opponents, but she also never really turns the pressure up herself. That results in a lot of close and frustrating fights—all 10 of Yoder’s UFC bouts have made it to the final horn—and a seemingly eternal wait for things to fully click for “The Spider Monkey.” That could come against Ducote, who is on a bit of a frustrating skid herself despite showing some things to like. Ducote came to the UFC in 2022 with a bit of steam. An unspectacular grappling specialist at flyweight, “Gordinha” dropped down to strawweight and showed off a more consistently effective game built around pressure. However, that has gone by the wayside a bit against more athletic competition in the UFC, as Ducote has typically favored a slower-paced approach, ceding some ground to Angela Hill and Lupita Godinez in her last two fights, both losses. That could still be a factor if Yoder’s considerable size advantage gives Ducote any second thoughts. With that said, this looks like a fight where Ducote will have the time and space to get back to her pressuring ways and be the more impactful fighter as a result. The pick is Ducote via decision.

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